SG Semiconductor launched amidst global chip push

It covers seven tech areas from advanced packaging to integrated circuit design.

Singapore has launched SG Semiconductor, a national identity for its semiconductor sector, to raise the industry’s global visibility and connect companies and talent with its research, manufacturing, and infrastructure capabilities.

Trade and Industry Minister Dr Tan See Leng announced the initiative on 25 September at Innovate Together 2026, an annual forum organised by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).

A*STAR and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) jointly developed the initiative, which will focus first on public-sector research and development (R&D).

Singapore’s semiconductor industry spans chip design, wafer fabrication, assembly and testing, equipment and materials development, and manufacturing, and R&D.

EDB noted that Singapore accounts for one in 10 of global chip output and one-fifth of global semiconductor manufacturing equipment production.

The government is supporting the sector with $800m in investment from 2026 to 2030 through the RIE Flagship in Semiconductors.

SG Semiconductor covers seven technology areas: advanced packaging, silicon photonics, power electronics, radio frequency gallium nitride, piezoelectric micro-electro-mechanical systems, flat optics, and integrated circuit design.

The initiative will connect research expertise with industry infrastructure and manufacturing capabilities to develop, validate, and scale semiconductor technologies for global markets.

“Singapore’s strength in semiconductor innovation has been built through decades of sustained investment and close partnership across public research, universities, and industry,” said Beh Kian Teik, CEO of A*STAR.

The launch also included new and expanded industry partnerships across semiconductor technologies, with A*STAR collaborating with Applied Materials, KLA, STATS ChipPAC, GlobalFoundries, and Tacta Systems.

The National Centre for Advanced Integrated Photonics, hosted at Nanyang Technological University, and Battery Age Minerals will also explore germanium-based devices for data communications.

Jermaine Loy, Managing Director of EDB, said SG Semiconductor would provide a gateway to Singapore’s ecosystem for companies seeking to develop and scale semiconductor technologies.

“As semiconductor technologies become more complex, companies are increasingly seeking trusted locations where innovation, manufacturing, and talent come together,” Loy said.